China emerging as major threat to Thai rice exports

By The Nation

 

 

China could become Thailand's main competitor for rice export in the future, according to the Thai Rice Exporters Association.

 

The association's honorary president, Chookiat Ophaswongse, said that the association was closely watching China's rice exports, which had expanded in terms of volume over the past few years.

 

Last year China exported 2.7 million tonnes of rice, which is expected to reach 3.2 million tonnes this year.

 

He added that China's export is expected to expand to between 5 million tonnes to 6 million tonnes in the next few years, thanks to its rice varieties and high yield.

 

He said that besides China, Myanmar is also rising fast as a major rice exporter. Myanmar has already exported 2 million tonnes this year and is expected to increase to 3 million tonnes next year.

 

He added that Thailand's competitors have spent far higher than Thailand on rice research and development to improve quality and strains to make their rice fit well with market demand.

 

The association recently revised down its forecast for Thai rice exports this year from 7.5 million tonnes to 6.5 million tonnes.

 

Thailand's rice exports in the first half of this year dropped 32 per cent year on year to 3.14 million tonnes, worth US$2.2 billion, according to the association.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/business/30391925

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-07-28

 

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Will not be a problem as Thailand will be unable to grow rice with no water. Water China has damned up...

Thailand generally is now a disaster on stilts

15 minutes ago, izod10 said:

Thailand generally is now a disaster on stilts

No need for stilts as no water

When governments keep giving farmers money/promises for votes, the output will worsen year after year.

 

On top of that the drought will continue year after year, which makes it difficult to profit from farming - besides the greedy middlemen....

6 minutes ago, rasmus5150 said:

besides the greedy middlemen...

Thats the main problem

Thailand has not been clever enough to match its rice production to export market needs seems to be the main takeaway from the article. Significant indictment of government and agro-businesses.

1 hour ago, webfact said:

He added that Thailand's competitors have spent far higher than Thailand on rice research and development to improve quality and strains to make their rice fit well with market demand.

 

Well, who's clever and who is'nt? Maybe they can bridge the shortfall when they open prisons to tourists! ????

Edited July 28, 20205 yr by PatOngo

I’m waiting for a report from China that a person handling rice from Thailand has COVID-19, and blames it on the rice from Thailand

No worries, CCP will give a "free" loan to help out the farmers. Only thing Thailand has to do is to give an itty bitty military base. U-Tapao should do.

6 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

No worries, CCP will give a "free" loan to help out the farmers. Only thing Thailand has to do is to give an itty bitty military base. U-Tapao should do.

How about a sub base as well

7 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

How about a sub base as well

Sure, Samui seems vacant.

3 hours ago, JoePai said:

No need for stilts as no water

Thailand has seasonal flooding, and is surrounded by the sea. If that's really a problem, then all that's needed is a good water management - you know, store when you have too much, release when you're lacking, pump around from too much to too little... If they can invest gazillions into train systems and airport and submarines, they could as well build this and address this problem, as well as remove reliance on China's mood on Mekong dams once and for all.

2 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

Sure, Samui seems vacant.

Yes its a perfect location now along with Phi Phi

if, but mega IF the government knows this, they maybe should offer farmers to grow other crops ?

Trust me; China is an emerging threat for many things, least of which is rice!

bs and outdated info, huge areas of farm lands in China are now being flooded with a lot worse to come..

Every morning when I’m in Isaan, I ride along the gravel rice roads.  Today I told my wife things smelled different along my route.  It reminded me of November harvest season—the odor of dead and dying rice.  Some rain today—but could be too late...

Edited July 28, 20205 yr by Isaan sailor

1 hour ago, Bender Rodriguez said:

if, but mega IF the government knows this, they maybe should offer farmers to grow other crops ?

Unfortunately, rice paddies are only suitable for growing a very narrow range of crops, mainly rice.  As stated in the article, their competitors have invested more than Thailand in research and development. That might be a good starting point for the country. 

Edited July 28, 20205 yr by djayz

1 hour ago, djayz said:

Unfortunately, rice paddies are only suitable for growing a very narrow range of crops, mainly rice.  As stated in the article, their competitors have invested more than Thailand in research and development. That might be a good starting point for the country. 

As long as the Thais think, they are "the kitchen of the world", and the entire world will starve, when they do not have Thai Hom Mali rice, produced a lot less efficient as in other rice growing nations, the Thai rice export will grow like an buffalo's tail: downwards.

Complacency combined with arrogance that Thai rice is best = potential financial and social disaster. What will all the 'entertainment providers' who have had to return home to the rice fields do when there is no-one to sell their rice to? They can't all become Prison Tour Guides.

3 hours ago, tomazbodner said:

Thailand has seasonal flooding, and is surrounded by the sea. If that's really a problem, then all that's needed is a good water management - you know, store when you have too much, release when you're lacking, pump around from too much to too little... If they can invest gazillions into train systems and airport and submarines, they could as well build this and address this problem, as well as remove reliance on China's mood on Mekong dams once and for all.

In the face of it all, water systems are boring-much rather look high so with a high speed train and sub.  It’s all about appearance, not practicality 

If you have been watching the China news, the north is dry with drought and the south is under water which means China's grain crops are either to wet and drown or they are dry and weathered up. This means China will look everywhere for food. After the outbreak of the virus from China there are very few countries which will help the CCP food situation except the Asian countries. 

Thai rice now costs more than other SE Asian rice, in part because of poor growing conditions (including drought) and a high USD/Baht exchange rate.

8 hours ago, webfact said:

China emerging as major threat to Thai rice exports

High time for Thai farmers to start growing different Crops . Rice going down the Tubes same as Rubber & Their Fruit Mango ,Pine apple, Durian ,& soon Other fruit .  

The problem is that when the price is Good Every farmer wants to  make the Big Money  and starts Growing More and than the country gets a Over supply & there you go the price Drops and they start Crying and want a government Hand out. 

Don't get me wrong this isn't only in Thailand. I've seen it in Other countries ass well. 

First in the Netherlands and in later years in Australia.

 

Thailands rice exports have been decreasing year on year for a few years now due to the strong Baht and the poor quality of the rice compared to other rice growing countries.

I'm not sure if China buys any rice from Thailand, but if it does that obviously is going to be reduced in future years. Again i say Thailand is up the creek without a paddle.

They need a clever plan... a scheme if you will, to encourage rice farmers to grow more rice and reinforce downward price pressure on the crop to remain more competitive...

 

If only we had a government that was committed and able to implement such a scheme.

 

Oh wait...

44 minutes ago, Aussie Col said:

Thailands rice exports have been decreasing year on year for a few years now due to the strong Baht and the poor quality of the rice compared to other rice growing countries.

I'm not sure if China buys any rice from Thailand, but if it does that obviously is going to be reduced in future years. Again i say Thailand is up the creek without a paddle.

You can buy a 25 pound sack of Thai Jasmine rice in Costco in the US fpr $15.49 or approximately 500 Baht.  Thailand exports a lot of rice to the US, while the US grown rice goes to Japan as it is mainly sushi grade.  Most of the US grown rice is grown in the Sacramento Valley of California.  The same fields where rice is grown are used as Duck Blinds during the Duck hunting season.  Lived and hunted in the Sacramento region for over 30 years.

Give Yinluck a call 

25 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

You can buy a 25 pound sack of Thai Jasmine rice in Costco in the US fpr $15.49 or approximately 500 Baht.  Thailand exports a lot of rice to the US, while the US grown rice goes to Japan as it is mainly sushi grade.  Most of the US grown rice is grown in the Sacramento Valley of California.  The same fields where rice is grown are used as Duck Blinds during the Duck hunting season.  Lived and hunted in the Sacramento region for over 30 years.

 

Eventually, even Californians are going to snap to the fact that they are effectively exporting their water in the form of agriculture products, and the value of that water they consumed to grow that rice far exceeds the $$$ they're bringing in.

 

It's one thing to grow rice in a tropical, monsoony country like Thailand.  Its lunacy to grow it in a desert like the Sacramento Valley, where development is being choked for lack of water.  And Thailand will eventually figure out that they can't afford that 2nd and 3rd planting during the dry season, even if it does make the exports look better.

 

Edited July 28, 20205 yr by impulse